


A Crush?

by sir_coriander_cadaverish



Category: Nimona (Webcomic)
Genre: Bullies, Cute, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Kids, Knight Babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23548834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_coriander_cadaverish/pseuds/sir_coriander_cadaverish
Summary: Ahh, I love writing about the boys when they were just... boys :)So I've always wondered... when did the knight babies first learn they were more than friends? Was it a seamless transition? Or was it kinda awkward? Well, here's my take on it. <3
Relationships: Ballister Blackheart/Ambrosius Goldenloin
Kudos: 10





	A Crush?

Ballister was about fourteen years old. He and his classmates were in the middle of art class, one of many courses which all of the boys were required to take at the Institution. Each boy had an easel and was told to paint a famous knight of their choice. Ballister sat by himself near the front of the room, where flickering sunlight streamed in through the thin windows and dappled his painting. Ambrosius wasn't in this class, which explained why a handful of boys were giggling derisively a few paces behind where Ballister worked. "He's so _gay_ ," Garamond said under his breath to his buddies. "I know," added Ryder, "and his hair - it's so long! What's up with that?" The other boys snickered. Ballister could hear this, but decided not to get involved in their mockery. Still, he couldn't focus on his brushstrokes quite like before, irked by their poorly-disguised whispering. 

"One time," Griffin whispered, "I saw him making a flower crown out in the courtyard!" Another boy giggled and said, "Seriously?! That's the gayest thing I've ever heard!" Someone else said something that was too quiet to hear, which made the boys all erupt into laughter. This was too much for Ballister. He turned around and snapped, "Can you guys just _shut up_ already?!" The four or five boys stopped short, eyes wide. There was a pause. Then, Garamond sneered and asked, "Why should we?" Ballister glared at him. "Because talking trash about someone when they're not even here to defend themself is a really messed-up thing to do." 

The boys were quiet for a moment, until Ryder asked, "What, do you _like_ him or something?" " _Oooohhh_ ," the other boys hooted obnoxiously. 

Ballister was caught entirely off-guard. "N-no," he faltered, barely audible over the boys' guffawing. "'Course not. We're friends. That's all." 

The boys snickered again. "Whatever, man," Garamond said. "I just didn't think that _friends_ held _hands_ all that often." Ballister felt his face alight, but the boys had clearly considered this battle won. Laughing irritatingly, they had already moved on and started discussing the best physical qualities of Ms. Evergreen, the young music instructor. 

Flustered, Ballister swiveled back around to face his work. Now he really couldn't concentrate on his painting of Sir Edward the Excellent. _Did_ he like Ambrosius? _No, of course not,_ he thought. But when he thought about Ambrosius' smile, or his glimmering golden hair, or the way that Ambrosius' pale hand fit perfectly into his tanned one, Ballister was conflicted. He had never liked anyone before; how was he supposed to know what it felt like? Was it the jitters he felt before his first practice joust? Or the shyness he felt when he was first placed in the Institution? Or, perhaps, it was the butterflies that took flight in his stomach whenever Ambrosius' arms encircled his waist... 

The more he thought about it, the more Ballister knew the truth. Staring down at the paintbrush and palette in his hands, he thought grimly to himself, _I have a crush on my best friend._

Later that day during Afternoon Break, the two boys were on Ballister's side of the dorms. Ballister sat at the foot of the bed, and Ambrosius stood in the middle, bouncing absentmindedly. 

"Hey Ambrosius," Ballister finally said, "do you... like anyone?" 

Without any hesitation, Ambrosius said, "Yeah, you." 

With that, he continued bouncing, executing a perfect 360 jump. 

Ballister's eyes widened, but then he realized his mistake. Quickly, he added, "No, I mean... do you _like_ anyone." 

Ambrosius gave him a quizzical look. A bit more impatiently, Ballister added, "Y'know, do you have a _crush_ on anyone? At the Institution?" 

"Oh!" Ambrosius' eyebrows shot up, then furrowed. "I don't really know." He sat down with a _flump_ on Ballister's bed. "I mean, everyone has a crush on Ms. Evergreen," he noted, "but I really can't see why she's all that." Ballister nodded in agreement, relieved that he wasn't the only one who thought this. "You know," Ambrosius continued thoughtfully, "Now that I think about it, everyone here is really gross!" 

Ballister's face fell. He could feel himself internally deflate. He was ready to abandon the whole topic when Ambrosius added, "Except..." 

He flopped onto his back, deep in thought. Ballister took a deep breath and prompted, "Except...?" Craning his neck, Ambrosius peered up at him and smiled. "Well, except _you_ , silly." 

Ballister exhaled for the first time. "Well, thanks," he said with a faint smile. "So... does that mean you like _me_?" 

Ambrosius rolled over onto his stomach and gazed at Ballister, who squirmed, almost afraid to look into Ambrosius' enormous blue eyes. "I have no idea," Ambrosius murmured, still appraising his friend. "What would that mean, exactly?" 

Ballister massaged the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Look, I don't really know how this whole 'crush' thing works either, but... I think I like...well, I'm _pretty_ sure I like you, Ambrosius." Having said this, Ballister's eyes darted away from Ambrosius' gaze and he listened to his heartbeat pound in his ears. Suddenly, he was startled by Ambrosius' breath in his ear. "Ballister," Ambrosius whispered with a grin, "I think I like you too."

Ballister felt like his heart was about to burst. "Oh," he said breathlessly. "That's... good. Great, actually." He swallowed hard and looked up from the ground. Sunlight was streaming through a window into the high-ceilinged hall, illuminating just the edge of Ambrosius' wispy golden hair.

The two eleven-year-olds gazed at each other for a moment. "Wow," Ballister finally said. "So we're... gay, huh?" Ambrosius leaned back, grinning at Ballister. "How did you not notice you were gay before?" 

Ballister pondered this, then stopped short, realizing what this meant. "Wait a second - _you_ noticed?!" 

Ambrosius flipped his hair to one side and began bouncing on the bed again. "Um, obviously," he said nonchalantly. 

Curiosity peaked, Ballister turned to face Ambrosius fully, folding his long legs beneath him. "Okay, Ambrosius, I need you to explain this one," he insisted. "Exactly how can you tell I'm gay?" 

Ambrosius bounced onto his rear, then back to his feet again. "Um," he said, bouncing vigorously, "First of all, you dress really cute." 

Incredulous, Ballister exclaimed, "We all have the same clothes!" 

Ambrosius giggled. "That's not what I mean! You just... _look_ better in your clothes than the other boys. It's like you actually try to look good. Plus, your hair is wayyy nicer. And your skin is really clear. And your teeth are super white, and you always smell good... See what I mean?" 

Ballister was entirely flattered. "Y-Yeah, I think so," he said. "Sheesh."

Ambrosius added, "So basically, you're just... softer than the other boys. You're... prettier." _Prettier_. Ballister had never thought of himself as pretty, but the thought of it made him smile. 

"Okay, now I've run out of ways to describe you," Ambrosius said. The boys giggled.

"But... is that all?" Ballister asked after a moment. "That's all it takes to know someone's gay?" 

Ambrosius bounced, twirling around before landing back on the bed. "No, it's also the fact that you hang out with me all the time. And I'm, like, _really_ obviously gay. Like, there's no way you didn't know I was gay by now." 

Ballister couldn't argue with that. 

"Okay, that makes sense, I suppose," Ballister finally said. Then he hesitated, and added, "Umm... also... you have really nice hair too. And skin, and teeth, and stuff. Just thought you should know." He blushed faintly, much less accustomed to these topics than Ambrosius was. 

Ambrosius stopped bouncing, returned to the foot of the bed, and gave Ballister a hug. "Thanks," Ambrosius said sincerely. 

Ballister took a deep breath and smiled. "You're welcome."

And that's how they knew!

The end.


End file.
